Udaipur Municipal Corporation has been working towards implementing the Smart City program in Udaipur with and effort oriented approach since the last many years from when Udaipur was identified as one of the cities to be developed into a Smart City.  With this perspective various models have been implemented on a hit and trial basis, with some succeeding and some amended to facilitate better implementation.

UMC, in association with Bernard Van Leer Foundation and ICLEI South Asia decided to implement the Urban 95 program of the foundation in Udaipur. The first such Tactical Intervention program began today 18 October and will go on till 23 October under the Road Safety Week.  The first implementation took place outside Vidhyabhawan Pre-Primary School today, where the road leading to Fatehsagar was designed.  This was done without damaging or making any changes to the physical infrastructure, while just using creative designs and painting on the road to facilitate or force reduction in speed of the vehicles plying outside the school.  The design has been done to make road crossing easier for children.  Vibrant colors, creative designs have been used on the road to guide vehicles to slow down.  This is a unique first for Udaipur in the domain of road safety.

Focus towards the implementation of a prettier physical infrastructure has always been a committed priority for the UMC.  For years, infrastructure development has been planned taking into consideration the needs of the elderly and adults.  Children have been given the back seat.  However the UMC  taking implementation of the Smart City program in this direction, has identified the physical infrastructure development to cater to the younger generation – that of children, the really younger ones… below 5 years of age – those who always depend on their parents or caretakers.

The Urban 95 project of Bernard Leer Foundation focuses on creating healthy, vibrant and prosperous cities where babies, toddlers and their families thrive.  They do this by guiding and assisting urban designers, city planners and other urbanists understand how their work can influence child development. Importantly, they also help them identify and scale cost-effective ways to improve the way families with small children live, play, interact and move through cities.